Spray drying involves the atomization of a ceramic fluid feedstock into sprays of droplets, which are dried to individual powder particles on contact with hot air. Primarily utilized in the ceramic tile and dinnerware industry, called the whiteware industry, spray drying is found in many industrial applications including electronic ceramics (semi-conductors, capacitors) and structural ceramics (wear parts, cutting tools, biomedical parts).
Oil and natural gas are produced from wells having porous and permeable subterranean formations. The porosity of the formation permits the formation to store oil and gas, and the permeability of the formation permits the oil or gas fluid to move through the formation. Permeability of the formation is essential to permit oil and gas to flow to a location where it can be pumped from the well. Sometimes the permeability of the formation holding the gas or oil is insufficient for economic recovery of oil and gas. In other cases, during operation of the well, the permeability of the formation drops to the extent that further recovery becomes uneconomical. In such cases, it is necessary to fracture the formation and prop the fracture in an open condition by means of a proppant material or propping agent. Such fracturing is usually accomplished by hydraulic pressure, and the proppant material or propping agent is a particulate material, such as sand, glass beads or ceramic particles, which are carried into the fracture by means of a fluid.
Described herein are methods for making solid ceramic particles that are substantially round and spherical using a spray drying process. When sintered, the solid ceramic particles are suitable for use as proppant material.